Aigues-Vives (Aude)

Aigues -Vives ( Occitan: Aigas Vivas ) is a commune with 521 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) in the Aude department ( Languedoc- Roussillon ). The inhabitants of the village lying in the Minervois " Aigues- Vivois " call themselves.

Location

Aigues -Vives is located just over 17 km ( driving distance ) east of Carcassonne. The two locations of Rieux- Minervois and Caunes -Minervois An 8 kilometers north-east and 14 kilometers north.

Demographics

History

By chance, the early 20th century about two kilometers northwest of Aigues -Vives in Saint -Jean a variety of finds ( pottery shards, pieces of bone, etc.) were brought to light, the v. to an Iron Age ( 3./.2. Century BC. ) and Gallo- Roman (ca. 1st century BC to 5th century AD can close) colonization of the place. This place names unknown, however, was gradually abandoned in the Middle Ages by its inhabitants in favor of Aigues -Vives. It is known that in 1269 no one lived there anymore.

The beginnings of the history of Aigues -Vives themselves are largely in the dark. In the year 994, a place called Aqua Viva is first mentioned, was so expanded in the 12th and 13th century to a castrum a fortified settlement. At this castrum probably included the still existing tour carré. From the 14th to the 16th century, the population of the town was constant at about 100 to 150 people, to then slowly but steadily increasing. The highest population with about 500 to 650 people was reached at the beginning of the 20th century.

In 1999, after persistent rains parts of the town were flooded several meters high.

Attractions

• A still about 20 meters high Donjon ( tour carré ) was formerly part of a larger fortification and probably dates from the 12th century. The original entrance in about 5 meters above the street level and could only be reached by ladders. Up to a height of about 6 meters, the thickness of the masonry is 1.80 meters, about only 1.20 meters.
• The Église Saint -Alexandre is from the 12-13. Century but was later remodeled in the interior in the Gothic forms. The bell tower is dated to the year 1562.
• The only 500 meters away from place Etang de Marseillette, a former marine bay, in the Middle Ages was a 2,000 -acre salt lake. From today's perspective it was a nice biotope with all sorts of small animals ( dragonflies, crayfish, etc. ) as well as fish and birds; the former inhabitants of the surrounding villages, however, saw in him a source of pests ( mosquitoes ) and diseases ( malaria, etc.). As early as the time of Henry IV there were plans to dry up the sea with the help of Dutch specialists, but all measures undertaken were unsuccessful and drove the private money lenders out of business. In the time of the French Revolution plans were presented again and put into action, but the result was a barren salt steppe. In 1850, river water of the Aude were dug by Italian professionals channels and tunnels, introduced into the pelvis and thus gradually flushed out the salt. Since then, the vast uninhabited areas of the former lake and marsh area of the surrounding communities are used for agriculture.